What is Mcaster1DNAS?
Mcaster1DNAS is a professional streaming media server for broadcasting audio over the internet. It supports multiple formats (MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, Opus, FLAC) and is compatible with Shoutcast protocol. The project includes:
- Mcaster1DNAS server: The core streaming server (v2.5.1-rc1)
- libshout: Library for communicating with streaming servers
- Source clients: Programs like Butt, Liquidsoap, FFmpeg, and IceS that send audio to the server
What source clients work with Mcaster1DNAS?
Any source client that supports Icecast protocol will work with Mcaster1DNAS. Popular options include:
- Butt (Broadcast Using This Tool) - Cross-platform GUI encoder
- Liquidsoap - Powerful automation and scripting
- FFmpeg - Command-line encoding and streaming
- SAM Broadcaster - Professional Windows broadcasting software
- DarkIce - Live audio encoder for live streams
- IceS - Official Icecast source client
How do I view server statistics?
Mcaster1DNAS provides multiple ways to view statistics:
- XML Stats: Access
http://yourserver:8000/admin/stats.xml for raw XML data
- Web Interface: The
web/ directory contains XSLT stylesheets that transform XML into HTML pages
- Custom Views: Create your own XSLT transforms to customize the presentation
You'll need admin credentials (username and admin_password from config) to access statistics.
What media players can listen to Mcaster1DNAS streams?
Virtually all modern media players support Mcaster1DNAS streams:
- Desktop: VLC, iTunes/Music, Winamp, Audacious, Clementine
- Web Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge (direct stream URLs)
- Mobile: VLC, TuneIn Radio, RadioDroid, Simple Radio, custom apps
- Smart Devices: Sonos, Amazon Echo, Google Home (via TuneIn or custom skills)
Should I use YAML or XML configuration?
Use YAML. Mcaster1DNAS v2.5.1-rc1 supports both formats, but:
- YAML is modern, human-readable, and version-control friendly
- XML support is provided for backward compatibility only
- XML configuration will be deprecated in a future major release
- All new deployments should use YAML format
How do I enable HTTPS/SSL streaming?
Configure SSL in your YAML config file:
- Obtain SSL certificates (use Let's Encrypt for free certs)
- Add SSL socket configuration in the
listen: section
- Specify certificate paths in the
ssl: section
- Restart the server
See the Configuration Reference for details.
How many listeners can Mcaster1DNAS handle?
Mcaster1DNAS can handle thousands of concurrent listeners on modest hardware. Capacity depends on:
- Server resources: CPU, RAM, and network bandwidth
- Stream bitrate: Lower bitrates = more listeners per Mbps
- Configuration: Buffer sizes and connection limits
Example: A server with 100 Mbps can serve ~780 listeners at 128 kbps (accounting for overhead).
How do I list my stream in directories?
Configure YP (Yellow Pages) directory settings in your config:
- Set
public: true in your mount configuration
- Configure YP directory servers (or use defaults)
- Ensure all required metadata is set (stream name, description, genre, URL)
- Mcaster1DNAS v2.5.1-rc1 includes enhanced YP logging for troubleshooting
See YP Directory Documentation for details.
Where can I get help?
Multiple support channels are available:
What's new in Mcaster1DNAS v2.5.1-rc1?
This release candidate includes:
- ICY-META v2.1+ protocol: Enhanced metadata with social media integration
- YAML configuration: Modern config format (XML deprecated)
- YP directory logging: Detailed tracking of directory registrations
- Performance improvements: Better memory management and connection handling
- Security updates: Updated SSL/TLS support
Note: v2.5.1-rc1 is a pre-release. Report any issues on GitHub.